Sifter top for granular material containers, with dispensing closure therefor, removable attachable in two dispensing positions



R. K. POTTLE Aug. 14, 1951 SIFTER TOP FOR JGR ANULAR MATERIAL CONTAINERS, WIT DISPENSING CLOSURE THEREFOR, REMOVABLY ATTACHABLE IN TWO DISPENSING POSITIONS Filed Oct. 23, 1946 INVENTOR Patented Aug. I4, 195I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Ralph K. Pottle, New York, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 23, 1946, Serial No. 705,218

4 Claims. (Cl. 222-480) The present invention relates to sifter top containers suitable for pulverulent or granular material and. has particular reference to a container having a slide member which may be readily snapped on or removed from the container.

An object of the invention is the provision of a sifter top container having a detachable slide member. of simple and economical construction which is retained in place on the container by simple projections of the end seam, such simplified construction resulting in easier manufacture and assembly of the parts while simultaneously reducing the cost of production.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective View of a container embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective View showing parts of the container in separated and superimposed position; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional views taken substantially along respective vertical planes indicated by the lines 3-3, 4-4 in Fig. 1, with parts broken :away.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawing illustrates a sheet metal sifter top container made preferably of tin plate or the like material and. adapted to hold granular products such as spices, etc. The container includes a tubular body ll of rectangular cross section having rectangular top and bottom end members I2, l3 secured thereto in suitable end seams M, The bottom end member l3 preferably is imperforate.

The top end member I2 preferably is of the countersunk panel type and is formed with a countersunk bottom wall 16 having an integral surrounding upright wall section H which fits snugly within the top end of the body II. The upper edge of the upright wall section ll merges into a flange 18 (Fig. 3) which preferably is interfolded with a similar flange on the body to produce the upper end seam l4 mentioned above.

The bottom wall [6 of the top end member I2 is formed with an elongated, generally rectangular shaped dispensing opening 2| through which the contents of the container may be removed with a spoon or other tool in bulk form. Such an opening is arranged longitudinally off center for a purpose hereinafter explained. This opening is normally covered with a sifter slide member 23 which is disposed in the countersunk panel of the top end member.

The sifter slide member 23 preferably is rectangular in shape and is flat and rests or engages against the outer or upper surface of the bottom wall It of the top end member l2. The outer or peripheral edge of the slide member is formed with an upwardly and outwardly bent curl which terminates in the plane of the bottom surface of the slide member and thus provides a smooth curled edge 24.

The slide member is provided with a plurality of sifter holes or perforations 25. These are shown as being arranged in single rows adjacent both ends although if desired only one row of holes located at one end will suffice. There is this advantage in having a row of openings at either end, when so constructed the slide member may be put back onto the container with either end over the off-center dispensing open- As illustrated in Fig. 3 only the row of sifter holes 25 on the slide member which is over the lesser width of countersunk panel bottom wall [6 at the end of the opening ii is effective for dispensing the contents. In other words, when the slide member is in the position of Fig. 3, that is to the right, both rows of perfora tions 25 are blocked oii by the wall Hi. However, if the slide is moved to the left the right hand row of perforations will align with the dispensing opening 2| of the end member and sifting may be had. It will now be evident why the dispensing opening 2| is off-center.

In width, the slide member 23 is substantially the same size as the countersunk panel of the end member I2, the curled edge 24 along the two longitudinal sides of the slide member slidably engaging the adjacent inner surfaces of the up right wall section ll of the end member. The upright wall section ll thus serves as a guide for the slide member. In length, the slide member is slightly shorter than the inn r longitudinal dimension of the countersunk panel to permit sliding of the perforations 25 into and out of sifting alignment with the dispensing opening 2! in the end member i2. corrugations 26 formed in the slide member are provided for manually sliding the member into and out of sif'ter position.

The slide member 23 is retained in operative position against the bottom wall It of the end member [2 by a plurality of small nodular projections 21 which extend inwardly from the end seam l4. There are two of these projections 2'1 along each of the two longitudinal sides of the container. These projections are produced by forming shallow indentations 23 (see Fig. 4) in the upper, outer edge of the seam Hi, the result being a forcing of a portion of the seam inwardly into a position overlying and in vertically spaced relation to the bottom Wall 16 of the end member l2. The resulting projection 2'! extends in- 4 seam sections at the sides of said end member,

said inserted snap-on member engaging the fiat wall of said end member for covering its dispensing openings, said snap-on member being slidable along said end member for aligning said holes with an end of said dispensing opening for bring the sifter perforations-into alignment with the dispensing opening for a sifter-opera-tion-or to entirely close off the dispensing opening when desired. The projections 2:! alsogper-mitpi easy removal of the slide member 23 from the con tainer so that free access may be .had to the dispensing opening for removing the contents in bulk form.

This removal of the slide member may be readily eiiected by pryingthe member ed with a knife, s oon'or other tool applied to one end of the members. The slide member may be just as easily replaced, by'a mere snapping of the curled edge 24 under the projections 27. 'Tnisease of applying and removing thes'lide member from the container greatly facilitates manufacturing and assembling operations and thus is conducive to economy in production.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of theparts without departing from the'spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its materialadvantages, the form hereinbefore described being merelya preferred embodiment thereof.

Iclaim: a

1. A sifter top container, comprising in combination a body, an end member having a flat countersunk bottom wall secured to said body in an upstanding seam, said end member having a central dispensing opening therein through which the contents of the container may be removed in bulk form, inwardly extending projections on said seam on two oppositely disposed sides of the container and in spaced relation to the bottom wall of said end member, and a snapon member having sifter holes therein located off center and having a curled edge completely surrounding the periphery of the snap-on member and engageable under said seam projections for holding the same against the flat bottom wall of said end member for covering its dispensing opening, said snap-on member being s'lidab'le along said end member for aligning its oii center holes with said centrally disposed dispensing opening for sifting the contents from the container and being removable bodily from under said seam projections for exposing said central dispensing opening for bulk dispensing of the container contents from said disp'en'sing opening.

2. A sifter top container, comprising in combination a body, a rectangular end member having a flat countersunk bottom wall secured to said body in a surrounding upstanding seam, said end member having a dispensing opening extending longitudinally in its fiat bottom Wall through which the contents of the container may be removed in bulk form, inwardly extending projections on said seam on oppositely disposed sides of the container and in spaced relation above the flat Wall or said end member, and a rectangular snap-n member of shorter length than the distance between the opposed seam sections at the ends of said end member, said snapon member having sitter holes therein and being insertable under said seam projections and extending into engagement with the opposed sifting the contents from the container and being bodily removable from under said seam projections for exposing said dispensing opening for bulk dispensing of the container contents.

3. A si-fter top container comprising in combination a body, a rectangular end member secured to said body in a surrounding upstanding seam, said end member having a dispensing opening therein located longitudinally off center through which the contents of the container may be removed in bulk'forrn, inwardly extending projections on said seam on oppositely disposed long sides or the container and at spaced rela= tion to said end member, and a rectangular snap on member having si'fter holes therein disposed in a row, extending along each short end 'of the member, said snap-on member being insertable under said seam projectionsin either of two positions for engaging said end member and covering its dispensing opening; said snap-on member being slidable longitudinally of the end member for aligning one row of said sifter holes with said dispensing opening for sifting the contents from the container and also being removable from under said seam projections for bulk dispensing of the container contents from said dispensing opening said snap-on member being replaceable in the alternate position to render the other row of sifter holes effective for dispensing purposes.

4. A sifter top container, comprising in combination a rectangular body, a rectangular end member secured to said body in an upstanding seam, said end member having a countersunk bottom wall with a rectangular dispensing open ing one end edge of the opening being nearer the adjacent part of the upstanding seam than the other end edge to its seam part leaving an adj oin ing narrow Wall section of the said bottom'wall at that end of the opening, said seam along opposection with said dispensing opening fo r sifting the contents from the container, said snap-on member also being removable from under said seam projections for bulk dispensing of the container contents from said dispensing ripening.

RALPH K. POTTL'E.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the the of this patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,105,710 Stewart L Aug. 4, 1914 1,433,544 Gibbs Oct, 31, 1922- 1,473,782 Doble 'Nov. 13, 1923 1,515,124 Lag-ois Nov. 11, 1924 2,212,898 Cullen Aug. 27, 1940 2,3Q9,111 I lothersall Jan. 26 .1943 2,383,274 Punte Aug, 21, 1 945, 

